


Alone

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: All New X-Factor, Marvel (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 08:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2766509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the team rescues Pietro after he's been taken, Lorna is the first to find him. But he isn't okay, and he needs Lorna to ground him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Was prompted on Tumblr to write "anxf Pietro getting dosed with something that makes him see his worst fears and Lorna having to calm him down/keep him calm?" So that's what this is! Enjoy!

Lorna found Pietro in a cell. “Gambit,” she said into her earpiece. “We need to leave. Now. Pietro's hurt.” 

“I'm fine,” Pietro rasped. But he was shivering. 

“Ignore him,” Lorna said. 

“Alright,” Remy said over the comms, “we're close but you might have ta wait. Got some guards ta deal with. Other than Quickie being hurt, everything alright?” 

“I might not have disabled all the guards,” Lorna said, “but I think we're safe for the time being.” 

“Good. I'll keep you updated.” 

Lorna sighed and massaged her temples. Pietro had been kidnapped. It had only been a few hours before, and thanks to Warlock's tech they tracked him down easily and infiltrated the facility where he'd been brought to, but still. She had been so worried that they'd kill him or torture him. At the moment, he seemed drugged, if his shivering and twitchy manor was anything to go by. 

“Can you stand yet?” she asked him. 

“No.” Pietro had tried to get up when Lorna had first broken into the cell, only to sink to the floor, holding his head. 

“It's fine,” Lorna told him. “The others will be here soon.” She didn't want to leave with just her and Pietro if there were still guards out there. They'd be taking a huge risk, especially if one of them was incapacitated. 

She hoped that Pietro had been dosed with a simple sedative, but he groaned and when she turned to him, he had braced himself against the cell wall, his knees drawn to his chest and his face white as paper. 

“Pietro?” she asked. 

“I can't see,” Pietro said quietly. 

His eyes darted around, but never focused on any one thing. He closed them and shook his head, as though trying to banish a particularly painful thought. When he opened them again, his pupils had dilated and he made a strangled sound. 

Before Lorna could do anything he lunged forward. “Pietro, what's wrong?” 

But as soon as she tried to touch him, Pietro scrambled back and held his hands out. “Don't!” 

“What's going on?” Lorna asked. “Pietro--”

“Stop it,” Pietro snarled. His eyes were on her, but they didn't seem to see her. “Stop—what is going on?” 

“What's wrong?” Lorna repeated, louder. 

“This can't be happening,” Pietro breathed. “This can't be happening. This can't—please. No!” He fell forward again, his hands curled, fingers trying to dig into the floor, and his face crumbled. 

“Pietro--” Lorna tried again. 

But Pietro screamed. His body folded in on itself, his hands clutching at his hair like he wanted to tear it out. His screams tore through the cell, echoing in the small space. He sounded like his heart was being ripped from his chest, and Lorna felt like hers was about to burst.

“Shit,” she hissed. “Shit.” She wasn't sure whether or not to reach out to him. 

He stopped screaming, and moaned. “No, no, no, no--” 

Lorna placed a careful hand on his shoulder. Pietro didn't seem to notice as he continued whispering, “No, no, no, no.” She grabbed his other shoulder and tried to pull him up, and this time he struggled against her, shouting, “Let me go! I need to—let go of me!” 

She didn't, pulling him up so she could see his face. Tears ran down his cheeks. “Pietro,” she said. 

Pietro took a shuddering breath. “Lorna?” 

“Yeah,” Lorna said. “Pietro, what--” 

Pietro threw his arms around her, clutching her tight. Lorna hesitated for a moment before holding him close. He began to shake. 

“Pietro,” she repeated. “What happened?” 

“How are you here?” Pietro asked. “I h-had to watch y-you--” he choked on his words. 

“What do you--” 

“I can't even close my eyes,” Pietro continued, shaking harder.

“They are closed,” Lorna said, frowning. “Pietro, please tell me what's going on.” 

“It feels real,” Pietro gasped. “I can feel your blood, and theirs. On my hands, wet. Sticky. I--” He clenched his hands, his knuckles bone white, and then lurched away from Lorna, gagging. He threw up and continued heaving until the heaves turned into choking sobs. 

“It's not real,” Lorna said, taking him and pulling him close again, allowing his head to rest against her chest. She started stroking his hair. “Pietro, I think...did they drug you with something?” 

Pietro didn't answer, but Lorna's earpiece crackled to life and Remy's voice came through. “We're not far. Everything okay?” 

“I think Pietro's been drugged,” Lorna said, trying to keep her voice calm. Her heart was racing. “I think—can Warlock—I know Warlock chipped us all. Can he tell if there's something in Pietro's blood?” 

“Given that this whole place seems ta be a base for a nefarious group who don't kidnap people 'cause they wanna have a pleasant chat,” Remy said, “I'd venture ta say that you're right. Warlock says he can analyze blood when we get back ta Serval but right now he can't 'cause the chip doesn't do that.” 

“Right,” Lorna said. “Right. Okay. I need you to hurry up.” 

“We're coming.” 

Lorna held Pietro close to her, closed her eyes, and waited. 

*

“Self detects several foreign chemicals in Quicksilver's blood,” Warlock said, “most often used to induce hallucinations. They should naturally leave the system in a few hours, but possibly faster for Quicksilver because of his metabolism.” 

“Thanks,” Lorna said. She glanced at Pietro, who was staring at the opposite wall. He looked absolutely drained. His hands were shaking still. 

They were in the infirmary at Serval, making sure that nothing else would go wrong. The other team members waited outside, all concerned. Pietro hadn't said a word since they got out of the cell. He seemed to shut down completely as soon as the others had arrived to escort them out. 

“Would you like self to leave?” Warlock asked. 

“That might be a good idea,” Lorna said. Warlock exited the room, and Lorna walked over to Pietro, who looked up at her. 

“I should have been more careful,” he said, his voice hoarse. 

“Not your fault,” Lorna said. He nodded jerkily. “Pietro, what did you see?”

Pietro twitched. “I--” He ran a shaking hand through his hair, then pulled on it. He looked up at Lorna. “I watched you all die,” he said. “You, Wanda, L-luna...” He swallowed. “And whoever was behind it...wouldn't kill me as well.” 

“Shit.” Lorna didn't know quite what to say to that. 

“It seemed so real,” Pietro continued, his voice hollow. “I thought you were gone, and it was...my fault, it felt like, and...you can't imagine how relieved I am to know that it wasn't real.” 

“Are you--” 

“Okay?” Pietro grimaced. “No. I can't un-see it. I don't try to think of those things. Why would I? I'm so afraid of losing any of you. But now I can't--” 

Lorna stepped forward and enveloped him in her arms. He returned the gesture, holding her tight. 

“That's not going to happen,” she told him. “I'm here. We're all going to be here for a long time. You won't be alone.” 

“I almost lost my family before,” Pietro said, his voice cracking. “And it was entirely my fault. It's always been--” 

“Shut up,” Lorna said. “You've made mistakes, we all have. But you don't lose family because of that. You won't lose us. I want you to believe me.” 

Pietro tightened his grip. “I want to believe you, too.”


End file.
